Out of the past 8/14/06

25 years ago: Aug. 14, 1981

The Cape Girardeau public school system has been able to scale down the increases in school lunch prices for the coming year from the levels earlier expected; prices at the beginning of the new term will be 80 cents at the elementary level and 85 cents for secondary school students; both prices represent increases of 25 cents from last year, but are 15 cents less in each case than figures earlier announced for the school year.

Construction of a neighborhood shopping center and two office buildings adjacent to West Park Mall is expected to be underway soon by Drury Industries.

50 years ago: Aug. 14, 1956

A tendency of some motorists to ignore the one-way street regulations, which go into effect in the evening to be enforced through the sesquicentennial celebration, is being encountered by Cape Girardeau police; officers are instructed to direct all motorists caught traveling in the wrong direction on a one-way street to get into one of the streets that remain two-way or onto a one-way street leading in the direction they wish to travel.

Sandblasting to remove two old coats of paint and uncover the original brick beauty of the building began on the west wall of Common Pleas Courthouse yesterday.

75 years ago: Aug. 14, 1931

Cape Girardeau's new street lighting system is completed as workers finish installation of new lights and equipment throughout the city; with the system completed, the city now has approximately 500 lighting units, these including the whiteway in the business section, the secondary lights on some of the more important thoroughfares and the residential area bulbs.

Plans are being completed for a new dwelling for Frank Hines of Jackson; the home will be an attractive brick structure with eight rooms, and it will be finished late this summer; A.F. Lindsay, Cape Girardeau architect, designed the new dwelling.

100 years ago: Aug. 14, 1906

Another self-propelled machine has arrived in Cape Girardeau to join the ever-increasing number of such machines; the monster roller arrived yesterday, and Billy Woods, the well-known street builder, has charge of the machine.

A.S. Duckworth, who lives with his family on North Frederick Street, sailed from Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday for Japan; he is going there to investigate timber conditions for a big corporation; he will also visit the Philippines.

-- Sharon K. Sanders